MY New Kit

[Andy w uk]

So I went and fetched my new Excel Vanguard XH 395 yesterday. I am doing fitting out today and hope to start sea trials tomorrow! (weather permitting).
Couple of pics of the boat which I am extremely pleased with. I did my research and thought I knew what I was getting but it is better built and more solid than I could ever have imagined!

Couple of little questions though:

Floor stringers. I expected these to go the full length of the parallel section of the floor, but they do not. I evened them up so there is a 5" gap at either end. I have assembled with the long section to the read and the short section to the front. is this right? any opinions or advice on this? Pics to show.

Question 2
My motor is a tohatsu 20hp with power tilt/trim. the outer transom clamp/bracket is longer than the transom pad on the boat. in fact it is about as long as the transom (also pictured) should I be bothered/concerned about this?

Thanks

@ndy

[Wazzajnr]

Mine only has 1 stringer per side and they don't go full length so you should be fine.
Transom plate, as long as it's not clamping on the raised ridge and the top of the motor bracket sits firmly on top of the transom it should be OK.
That said, if it's sticking into the water, it could create drag.
Nice boat! ��

[chipko]

Andy, looking very smart there and great colour choice.

Think you’re fairly unique in sibland to have the luxury (and weight) of a ptt motor. Not much you can do about the long clamp leg and lucky the Excel transom pad is much deeper than most. Should be fine just clamped on initially but once you’re happy with height after some on water testing then perhaps best to also bolt motor on through transom. Usually not a fan bolting on portable motors, but in this case with ptt, probably worthwhile.

Stringer wise, best to try and get the joint between the two as near central on a floor panel as you can. Also make sure the end of the stringers and central joint are over the black wear patches on the tubes. Should find one combo of short/long gives a better result, if that makes sense!

Great looking boat. Enjoy. [emoji106]

[Limecc]

My experience with a similar size Excel (different model) was that the top of the transom is set way too low. With my Suzuki 20 the AV plate was nearly 2" below the keel where it ought to be level. I couldn't raise the engine high enough because there would have been nothing to clamp to, so I used the biggest packing I could (setting the engine as high as possible) and drilled the lower holes accordingly.

[Steve509926]

Originally Posted by Limecc

My experience with a similar size Excel (different model) was that the top of the transom is set way too low. With my Suzuki 20 the AV plate was nearly 2" below the keel where it ought to be level. I couldn't raise the engine high enough because there would have been nothing to clamp to, so I used the biggest packing I could (setting the engine as high as possible) and drilled the lower holes accordingly.

Hi Limecc, that's possibly why you suffered cavitation/ventilation. The manual for my 15hp Merc states that the AV plate should be 50mm below the keel not level, and I think that generally most OBs should be 25-50 mm below the keel. I used a 25mm packer above the transom on my SD360 to try and bring it to 50mm below the keel. Suffered bad cavitation /ventilation, eventually dropped the OB on to the transom and it practically eliminated cavitation /ventilation. I think you will find Jeff Stevens and Pikey Dave also run their OB on the transom. Don't know why it is so, but it has been suggested that the cone volume on the Excel is greater than most Sibs keeping the AV plate higher in the water than normal.

Your new kit looks really smart Andy and I know I'm biased, but you chose the right colour. I'd do the trials and find what position suits best before you bolt it on. Make sure your shiny new Tohatsu is run in first so you can test it at WOT, that's when I suffered the most cavitation /ventilation.

I bolt my OB on everytime I go out after seeing a few vids of flying outboards. Might be paranoid, but I know by sods law, it would happen to me!

[Fenlander]

As per Chipko with the stringers... totally normal to stop short and just ensure you keep the ends on the pads.

Re the transom height again not much you can do... but personally I hate plastic outer pads on larger HP setups... a nice bit of ply would not go amiss for the OB saddle to really bite into.

Agree its red looks nice and a useful all round grab rope plus well placed lift handles.

[Andy w uk]

Thanks guys really useful info and very encouraging..
Just going to fit my launch wheels then I will see where the motor sits.
@

[Limecc]

Originally Posted by Steve509926

Hi Limecc, that's possibly why you suffered cavitation/ventilation. The manual for my 15hp Merc states that the AV plate should be 50mm below the keel not level, and I think that generally most OBs should be 25-50 mm below the keel. I used a 25mm packer above the transom on my SD360 to try and bring it to 50mm below the keel. Suffered bad cavitation /ventilation, eventually dropped the OB on to the transom and it practically eliminated cavitation /ventilation.

Unfortunately no, I used the same 25mm packer as you did bringing the AV plate 25mm below keel. This was the highest I could go and keep the transom clamps below the top lip of the transom plate. Also I think 25mm below is what's recommended in the Suzuki owners manual.

I think PD's Volaire doesn't suffer because it's not got a LP sausage keel and Jeff's has an aluminium floor keeping everything more rigid.

[pumpkinking]

Looks really great Andy!

Did you go for the excel transom wheels or the beachmasters?

Also Steve - notice you said you bolt your motor on but remove at the end of the day, how did you protect the ply inside the transom once you’d drilled through? Did you line the hole with something?

[Steve509926]

Originally Posted by pumpkinking

Looks really great Andy!

Did you go for the excel transom wheels or the beachmasters?

Also Steve - notice you said you bolt your motor on but remove at the end of the day, how did you protect the ply inside the transom once you’d drilled through? Did you line the hole with something?

Hi PK, I centered the OB on the transom, clamped it up and used the bolt holes in the transom as the guide for a pilot hole. Took the OB off and drilled through the transom. I used an oversized drill I think 10mm, 2mm bigger than the bolt.

I protect the ply with a liberal coating of water repellant silicone spray before and after every holiday, WD40 would have the same effect.

[Andy w uk]

I haven't decided yet if I will end up drilling my transom for the outboard or not. but if I do I will probably turn up some inserts and glue them into the transom with some sealant. That way it will keep water out and prevent wear from repeated bolting and unbolting.
I appreciate that a tilt/trim motor is possibly seen as a more permanent fitment than I am using it for. But it has hex head clamps rather than the usual "turn buttons/thumb screws". It has the longer transom plate to house the mechanism, but I don't see why it needs additional fixing precautions simply because it has tilt. It is 20hp, it isn't more powerful or have more torque than the regular 20HP.
As for it falling off the back, I always fit a safety on my motors as a matter of course.
What does concern me is that a portion of the transom clamp will protrude below the factory fitted plate. I don't see an issue with this as such, but the plate on the transom does have a raised lip which I feel I will at least have to modify in order to have proper mounting and full contact.
I'm going to do some test fitting.
I may share my findings and some more pics if that will be of interest.

@

[jeffstevens763@g]

i wouldn't drill yet Andy until you've set it up as good as you can. i set mine up as Steve says with the plate level with the keel but found it cavitated in the rough so ive dropped it down to the top of the transom plate now 2 inch below the keel not tried it yet so no report yet. i assume the cones are more buoyant than most on the excel boats so totally different to other sibs ive had keeping the engine higher at the transom.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Steve509926

Hi Limecc, that's possibly why you suffered cavitation/ventilation. The manual for my 15hp Merc states that the AV plate should be 50mm below the keel not level, and I think that generally most OBs should be 25-50 mm below the keel. I used a 25mm packer above the transom on my SD360 to try and bring it to 50mm below the keel. Suffered bad cavitation /ventilation, eventually dropped the OB on to the transom and it practically eliminated cavitation /ventilation. I think you will find Jeff Stevens and Pikey Dave also run their OB on the transom. Don't know why it is so, but it has been suggested that the cone volume on the Excel is greater than most Sibs keeping the AV plate higher in the water than normal.

Yup[emoji106] I messed around raising the OB because it looked “Wrong” & didn’t handle like a RIB (as I expected it to). It soon returned to sit on the top of the transom, I was expecting too much from the outfit & my inexperience showed.

I just use the clamps on the transom as I don’t want the extra faff of fitting bolts every time I set the boat up, also this would make sealing the holes problematic. If I was keeping the boat inflated on a trailer a’la Jeff Stevens, then I’d bolt & seal. I have a line with a carabiner from the engine to an eye bolt on the transom to act as a safety line should things go wrong.

[Fenlander]

We all have our own ideas so I don't want others to do as I do but just for info.

I have a pair of dedicated spanners... one a ratchet... in a bag with the two bolts to fix the OB and it takes... what... 1-2min and means you don't have to consider what fun it would be with a loose outboard thrashing around as it jumped off the transom partially restrained by your chosen length of tether but didn't stop until the prop had scythed through both rear cones as the kill cord was still within its stretch limits.

I have the transom holes a whisker oversize just enough so the bolts feed through easily. I coat the insides with a clear varnish which I "top up" yearly. With a daily inflate SIB it spends far more time dry than wet hence there is no real rot issue from these holes.

Yes as mentioned above the top job is to fit sealed in permanent sleeves.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

We all have our own ideas so I don't want others to do as I do but just for info.

I have a pair of dedicated spanners... one a ratchet... in a bag with the two bolts to fix the OB and it takes... what... 1-2min and means you don't have to consider what fun it would be with a loose outboard thrashing around as it jumped off the transom partially restrained by your chosen length of tether but didn't stop until the prop had scythed through both rear cones as the kill cord was still within its stretch limits.

I have the transom holes a whisker oversize just enough so the bolts feed through easily. I coat the insides with a clear varnish which I "top up" yearly. With a daily inflate SIB it spends far more time dry than wet hence there is no real rot issue from these holes.

Yes as mentioned above the top job is to fit sealed in permanent sleeves.

It had never occurred to me that “Day inflators” ever used the bolts. I assumed that they were for permanent installation. Did I mention my inexperience.....

[Fenlander]

Remember I’m in a minority... perhaps of one.

[Limecc]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Remember I’m in a minority... perhaps of one.

Two.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CjCFqXGwpc

[jeffstevens763@g]

It’s a pity that the transom plates aren’t recessed for the screw heads impossible for them to come loose then mind I lock my screws with a padlock for security and for that reason to stop them spinning loose

[TmMorris]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

It’s a pity that the transom plates aren’t recessed for the screw heads impossible for them to come loose then mind I lock my screws with a padlock for security and for that reason to stop them spinning loose

I suspect it would be quite difficult to manufacture therefore pretty expensive as you'd be changing how the load from the bolts is being spread.

If I were running a 20 then I think I'd nylon bush a pair of bolt holes through the transom and make use of the bolt holes on the outboard. I think you'd only need to use wingnuts to pull them up.

My 15 doesn't have the holes drilled so I could either drill them out or look to remove the inboard transom plate and replace it with a stainless steel plate where a strip of 2mm bar is welded across the upper part of the face to act as a stop?

Overall though, I think the key with a 15 or lower is to just get into the habit of keeping an eye on the screws. My only concern re a locking bar is that it will dictate the end position of the handles which in theory, I guess, could mean not applying that final quarter turn that would make all the difference?

[Fenlander]

No problem re locking bar and aligning clamp handles just take them that small amount tighter to get the lock to slide over... been doing this for years.